


Take My Hand

by abderian



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-11
Updated: 2013-10-11
Packaged: 2017-12-29 02:25:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/999763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abderian/pseuds/abderian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He just wanted someone to see him, he was over being ignored, by his mother, by his schoolmates, by everyone. Liam wanted someone to see him. And then Niall did, and a connection between the two was formed, one that neither of them understood.</p>
<p>xXx</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take My Hand

Liam sat in his room, hands clenched over his ears, trying to block out the sounds of his mother’s tears as he gazed out the rain soaked window, watching as the tiny droplets raced against the dreary backdrop.

His eye stared at nothing, and yet saw everything, as it was all just a distraction. The green foliage, the small leaves stretching against the rain for the non-existent sunlight, the hurry of people under coloured umbrellas eager to leave the rainy world.

It was silent though, he couldn’t hear the peaceful world, as his own was so turbulent. It was only him and his mother, he rarely saw his father, he had left when Liam was much younger. And they were close, but recently something was off, and their relationship was broken, his mother spending her time locked away crying, ignoring Liam whenever she ventured out.

So many times he had extended a hand, trying to help, but she wouldn’t even look at him, and he would be left standing wondering when it had all gone wrong.

His life felt meaningless, at school he was a non-entity, and he always had been. He had no friends. No one. And he often dreaded having to visit that classroom and sit there while the feeling of loneliness pressed against him.

He stayed there, watching the world pass by, until he heard his mother’s sobs cease, as the moon fought its way through the clouds, the silver rays catching on the still droplets left behind in the earlier tempest.

Glancing at his clock, Liam realised he had wasted the afternoon and night staring through the window, and stumbled to his bed, pulling the sheets tight around him as he drifted to a place where he always managed to find happiness in his memories.

xXx

His mother had once again ignored him, and despite the pain clenching at his heart, Liam walked to school. All he wanted was for someone to see him, to be pulled out of place where he was hidden from everyone. Just one person.

His feet skipped through every puddle, a childlike curiosity flowing through him as his worn trainers kicked through the water, tiny droplets flying through the air, soaking into his pants. He took a deep breath, feeling optimistic, maybe today something would change.

Hands trailed against the worn paint of the iron bars that surrounded the school, grass springy underfoot as Liam wasted the time before his first class just walking around the boundary, looking in on all the friends and relationships he wanted to experience.

“What are you doing?” Liam froze, so unused to being addressed that he quickly waved it off, assuming that the unfamiliar voice was not actually talking to him.

He took another step, and the voice spoke again as a hand rested on his shoulder.

“I was talking to you, I just wanted to know why you are alone?” The softest voice, full of compassion, the lilting Irish accent floating into his ears, full of naivety and a truth that broke through the barriers that Liam didn’t know he had constructed, keeping people out because the never wanted to let him in.

Liam turned slowly, the bows of the old oak tree that hung into the school overhead, the sunlight filtering through the green leaves, creating tiny waterfalls of golden light that washed over the boy he saw, illuminating his blond hair, touching and caressing each strand as though it was woven by magic.

Liam’s gaze travelled downward, looking at the soft pink lips, the boy gently biting them in anticipation as he waiting for a response. As though instinctively realising Liam was watching him mouth the boy smiled, teeth so perfectly straight that Liam was sure that he had had braces.

Finally he convinced himself to look into the boys eyes, the one spot he had been avoiding, terrified of actually making eye contact with another. It had been some time before when someone had looked him in the eyes and he was worried about what he would see reflected.

But he wasn’t expecting to find himself lost. He was drowning in eyes so deep, the colour so vibrant, that it wasn’t until the boy blinked, and that flutter of the eyelashes broke the trance that Liam could actually recognise the eyes for the colour they were. The clearest azure, dark blue and light blue, woven together in a pattern unrecognisable.

“I’m Niall.”

“I’m Liam.”

They shook hands, and an inexplicable happiness overcame Liam, as though the Niall’s smile was contagious. Niall had seen him, had acknowledged him.

xXx

It had been a few days since Niall had reached out and broken into Liam’s world, creating a bond between them that neither could truly understand.

They sat outside, Niall having slyly suggested that they skip class, because truth be told who would notice they were missing. The sly smirk and the gleam in his blue eyes had ignited Liam’s rebellious streak.

They had snuck right out the front gates, choosing to not wonder very far, just in case they for some reason wished to return to their prison.

Liam’s heart had fluttered as Niall had grasped his wrist, pulling him along, the feet stepping on the green grass, as they approached the oak.

“Come on Liam, climb.” Was all he said joyously as he dropped Liam’s wrists and began to scale the tree, hands pulling himself up onto the low branches, “Come on!”

Liam watched him, palms pressed against the trunk, amazed that in only a few short days they had already connected, best friends. Liam just found himself so drawn to Niall, it was so easy to talk to him, to just be with him.

“I’m not going to wait forever Liam!” Niall yelled down, settling on a branch to wait.

The bark felt rough under his hands, but he ignored the small scrapes as he scampered up, following Niall’s path until he was sitting beside the blond, Niall offering him an earphone for his iPod.

Liam accepted, raising an eyebrow at the smaller boys taste in music, “Justin Bieber?”

Niall shrugged, “I like his music.” And then he began to sing along, giving Liam a new appreciation as he heard the lyrics for the first time, sung with a melodic Irish voice. It was captivating hearing Niall sing, and it was completely foreign, and yet so beautiful. Liam blinked, having to remind himself who Niall was singing.

The song ended, and the familiar chords cause Liam to smile as Niall rested against his shoulder, the brunet wrapping his arm around the blond, “Michael Buble, now this I can live with.”

xXx

He had invited Niall over, he didn’t know why he had, for three weeks now he had endured to keep Niall away from his house, but the blond had put the words in his mouth and before he knew it he was extending the invitation.

Thankfully as he opened the door, keys jingling in the lock, his mother was not home, so he wouldn’t have to face her as she broke down, rejecting his assistance, ignoring him. It meant he could enjoy a drama free afternoon.

Niall bounded into his house with the inexhaustible energy of a puppy, “So where is your room Lili?”

Liam half cringed half smiled at the use of the nickname, when he was younger he would resolutely reprimand people, reminding them his name was Liam, but when Niall spoke, appointing him with a name other than his own, he didn’t mind, somehow it made him feel included, and he knew that he only allowed it cause Niall was special.

“Up here Nialler.” The pair climbed the staircase, fingers dancing along the wooden handrail as the ascended to the second level, the house kept perfectly clean, no dust on any surface.

Liam pushed his door open, cringing as he realised that he hadn’t made the bed, even though by usual standards his room was tidy. Niall however seemed to relax, as though the unmade bed immediately made the room more liveable and he collapsed on top of the sheets.

“Do you guys have a maid or something, cause this house is so clean!” He exclaimed, not to be offensive, but in genuine shock. Liam stiffened, but then sighed, knowing he might as well tell the truth.

“No, my mum does all the cleaning. She has been depressed recently, and she cleans when she is sad.”

Niall’s blue eyes flashed with an anonymous emotion. Sympathy, empathy, guilt, remorse, sorrow? Liam wasn’t sure, but he silently screamed at himself for putting his only friend at unease by mentioning his issues. But the flash then disappeared and Niall was back to his usual self.

He scurried around the room, pawing through all of Liam’s belongings.

“Hey Nialler, there is this little thing called privacy.” Liam pointed out as he picked up his clothes that the blond had unceremoniously dropped onto the floor.

“Privacy schmivacy!” Niall responded, upper body disappeared beneath Liam’s bed as he looked around, “Hey I didn’t know you played guitar!”

Once again Liam sighed, it seemed that Niall was determined to get all of his secrets from him. “I don’t, my father used to before he left my mother, it’s all he left behind.”

Niall wiggled out, holding the instrument between his hands, oddly serious as he gazed at Liam. “Do you mind…”

Liam shook his head and Niall sat cross-legged on the floor, carefully plucking the strings and tuning the guitar.

As the chords and notes were played, the melody sent Liam back to his childhood, and he remembered how he would sit entranced as his father created the magic spell of music.

“It’s a beautiful instrument.” Niall murmured, fingers touching the wood, subdued momentarily. “It shouldn’t be hidden away, no matter how many bad memories it brings forth.”

Liam just watched as Niall placed the guitar upright in the corner, in a place of honour in his room.

xXx

Liam flushed, aware of the weight of the body against his chest, that his breath was mingling with Niall’s and that their noses were touching.

Niall had been rushing toward him, jumping over bushes and puddles, but had miscalculated, tripping and falling into the older boy, pushing the both of them to the ground.

But that had been minutes ago.

Neither had taken the initiative to move.

Instead they just stayed there, so close, staring at each other, studying the others eyes, seeing them in a whole new light when they were only centimetres away.

Liam watched as Niall’s eyes flashed with hesitation, but wanting, carefully calculating the risks and rewards, and Liam watched him, waiting with bated breath.

And then Niall closed the gap between them.

Their lips pressed together, hesitant, awkward, both of them unsure if they should act on their feelings, but their feelings demanding to be acted on.

Liam’s hands crept up, wrapping themselves around Niall’s waist, flipping the smaller boy over, but not breaking the kiss, changing its timid direction as he nipped playfully at Niall’s bottom lip.

Neither of them had any practice, but yet even as they questioned their own actions their bodies took over, acting on auto pilot while their minds went wild at every touch, simply enjoying the ride.

Niall finger reached up, cupping Liam’s face, brushing against his cheek. Liam felt their heat, felt Niall’s heartbeat through his fingertips, and his heart stopped and restarted keeping perfect time. The fingers kept moving, tangling in Liam’s hair, holding the boy close, not wanting to let him go.

They broke apart, Niall’s hand still tangled in Liam’s hair as he looked at the boy with hooded eyes, blue eyes clouded. “I love you… and I shouldn’t love you.”

He pulled away, sitting up, running his fingers nervously through his hair, as Liam sat and waited.

“I love you too.”

The air was still, clouds floating lazily across it as the pair sat in the lush green grass, waiting for the other to speak, both unable to find the words. They could no longer deny the attraction, Liam wanted to reach out and just touch Niall, hold his hand, be connected, but he waited.

“There are issues here Liam, issues you will understand soon, and until you understand we can’t be together. But once you work them out, you will know where to find me.”

Niall placed his hands on Liam’s face, eyes silently begging for Liam to understand, to open his mind and realise as he placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and walked away.

xXx

He stared at the off white ceiling, counting each and every one of the cracks, unable to sleep as his arms felt the memory of Niall. He wanted to hold him again, to gently kiss him, but he couldn’t, not yet.

He didn’t even understand, what was it that he needed to work out, he was oblivious to the barrier that stood between them, it was as though it was one-sided, and although Niall could see it he remained blind. How can you overcome something you can’t see?

The soft sounds of raindrops hitting the roof filled the room, and almost lullaby as the world tried to help him sleep, but his turbulent emotions won the battle against his heavy lids.

Footsteps in the hallway and he heard the creak of the floor board outside his room, and he hurriedly closed his eyes, as the door swung open, filling the room with artificial light.

He could hear her sobs, and hearing her so upset broke his heart, he wanted to just hug her, but it was early in the morning, he was expected to be asleep so he stayed still, eyes opening to just slits as he watched her movement.

She simply walked, her fingers trailing along all his belongings, his childhood bear clasped in her hands, her knuckles white as though she was scared she would drop it and loose it. The tears ran freshly down her face as she spotted the guitar, sobbing, raising a shaky hand to her mouth.

She sat, where he had sat now a month ago and simply watched the world, the rain on the window, the dark stormy sky, her hand resting on the cold glass. “Liam…”

And then he knew.

xXx

“You worked it out?” The soft Irish voice called to him in the night, as Niall stepped out from behind the old oak tree to look at Liam in sympathy.

“Yeah I did, why didn’t I know, why didn’t you tell me?”

Niall stepped forward, hand caressing Liam’s cheek as he gazed into Liam’s eyes looking for forgiveness, “I couldn’t, you had to work it out yourself.”

“How did you know?”

The rain was falling hard, clinging to the two boys as the stood under the extending branches of the old oak where they had first met. Lighting flashed and Liam’s eyes widened as he received his answer.

He had been staring at the ground, just beyond Niall and the lighting had silhouetted his shadow. The small, lithe figure of Niall, and the strong, beautiful wings of an angel, invisible until now.

“Liam you don’t belong in this world anymore, you haven’t for a while, but you kept clinging on, so I had to come. Just take my hand, Liam, and come with me.”

Niall softly pleading, holding out his hand, waiting for Liam to take it. Liam looked at his blue eyes, promising that they could be together, his blond hair stuck to his forehead by the rain.

Liam took his hand, stepping forward.

Light began to surround them, tiny tendrils flittering through the air, swirling and swaying as the encased the pair with gold. Liam looked into the beautiful illuminated face of Niall, kissing him, letting him know he was ready. And then the light consumed them and they were gone.


End file.
